Collapsible tray



Feb. 23, 1965 w. MORTENSON 3,170,615

COLLAPSIBLE my Filed Sept. 20, 1962 Z'l/allzls'lfj orferzjan United States Patent 3,170,615 COLLAPSIBLE TRAY allis L. Mortenson, Chicago, Ill., asslgnor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 225,085 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-16) The present invention relates to collapsible containers and more particularly to containers formed as open top trays, commonly referred to as tote boxes, which may be used conveniently for retention of various articles and may be easily carried and stacked.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, sturdy and economical form of tray that can be manufactured readily without requiring specialized equipment and one that has convenient hand grip portions for ease in carrying.

Another object of the invention is to provide a form of tray with end reinforcements that serve to maintain the shape of the tray even when subjected to rough and careless handling, and to enable the trays to be stacked safely to a considerable height.

A further object of the invention to to provide a form of tray which can be made as a four-panel, open-ended tube with narrow infolded reinforcing strips or flanges secured at the tube ends, and, by cutting one of the panels transversely between the tube ends and along the sides of the panel there are provided two hinged and inwardly foldable end walls which effectively close the ends of the tube.

A still further object is to provide a readily collapsible tray of the type above referred to, prepared in the general form of a four-panel tube, but with one of the panels suitably cut to form a pair of hinged end walls, such end walls being formed with friction locking parts to engage beneath reinforcing strips carried on the wall of the tube that is to serve as the bottom of the tray.

Additional and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings: 1

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the tray in set up condition;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the tray in collapsed condition; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a form of blank from which the tray may be produced.

In its preferred construction the tray is produced from a four-panel blank, secured in tubular form and with one of the panels cut both transversely and along the edges to provide two separate, hinged end wall panels, swingable downwardly inside the tube to close its open ends. The ends of the tube have infolded reinforcing strips secured against the ends of the bottom and side wall panels, and the lower edges of the end walls are preferably formed with tongues to be inserted to engage frictionally between the end portion of the bottom panel and the infolded strip section carried by such bottom panel.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the tray comprises essentially a bottom panel 1 and side wall panels 2 and 3. In the present instance side wall panel 2 is integrally joined to the bottom panel, and side wall panel 3 has a connecting strip 4 by means of which it may be joined to the free edge of the bottom panel by metal fastening means, such as stitches or staples, or by adhesive.

Reinforcing strips, each indicated as a whole at 5, 5,

extend along the respective ends of the bottom and side 7 panels. -The'portions of the strips-at the ends of the bottom are indicated at 6, 6, and the portions of the strips at the ends of side wall panels 2 and 3 are indicated at 7, 7 and 8, 8 respectively. A portion of each reinforcing strip at each end of the tray, indicated at 9, 9, extends across the top of the tray at its extremities.

Narrow top panels at each end of the tray, indicated at 10, 10, are preferably integrally hinged to the respective portions 9, 9 of the reinforcing strips. The end wall panels indicated at 11, 11, are preferably integrally hinged to the respective narrow panels 10, 10. The ends of these narrow panels 10, 10 may be severed from the edges of the side walls, if desired, but are preferably integrally connected to the side wall edges.

The end walls are preferably made of a length, measured at right angles to their hinges, so that their edges will engage frictionally against the bottom panels when the end walls are in closing position.

Additional means, comprising tongues or lips 12, 12, are provided for retaining the lower edges of the end panels in place. These tongues are preferably integrally hinged on the lower free edges of the end panels. The manner of securing the tongues will be explained presently.

While the tray may be formed in various specific ways, it is preferably produced from a single blank of relatively stiff, but readily foldable, paperboard, such as corrugated board or solid fibre board. Such a blank is shown in FIG. 5. It may be handled in a manner that is customary with four-panelled blanks and secured in tubular form by attaching the securing strip 4 to the free edge of the bottom panel 1.

The reinforcing strip 5 is inwardly folded into contact with the walls 1, 2 and 3 and the narrow top strip 10. This may be done before the strip 4 is secured to the free edge of the bottom panel.

After the reinforcing strips are folded inward they are preferably secured in place by metallic fastening means such as stitches or staples. The portions 6 of the reinforcing strips attached to the ends of the bottom panel are secured so as to leave unsecured edge portions to allow the tongues on the end wall panels to be inserted between the strips and the adjacent portion of the bottom panel. In the present instance, since the edges of the end walls are shown as carrying two spaced tongues, the reinforcing strip portions 6 are secured by means of a central stitch and by additional stitches adjacent the ends of the portions 6 near the inner corners of the tray. See FIGURE 1.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the tray, after being secured in tubular form, may be collapsed. When it is desired to set up the tray, it is necessary only to bring the side wall panels to upright position with respect to the bottom panel and then swing the end walls downward. At the same time that the end walls are being swung into end closing position the tongues 12 are folded outward toward the tray ends and tucked beneath the portions 6, 6 of the reinforcing strip. This tends to hold the tongues frictionally but releasably in position beneath the reinforcing strip. The end wall panels are thus securely held in end closing position and the tray walls are firmly held upright.

The tray may easily be returned to collapsed form by pushing inwardly on the outer surfaces of the end wall panels, thus withdrawing the tongues from their frictional engagement beneath the reinforcing strip portions. The end wall panels may then be swung upward and at the same time that the side walls are moved toward their collapsed position.

In the set up form of the tray it is apparent that the reinforcing strip portions 9 and attached narrow top panel Patented Feb. 23, 1965 10 may serve as handle elements for lifting and carrying the'tray. The lifting force is well distributed to the 7 of the blank and integrally side Walls and bottom panel by the double thickness of material formed by vertical portions 7 of the reinforcing strip and the adjacent end portions of the side panels. Additionally,- part of the lifting force is transmitted through the end panels to the reinforcing strip portions 6, due to the tongues 12 being tucked below such portions 6. Y Y r a 'By the provision of the reinforced end structure and the flat areas at the ends of the trays, formed by the 3 strips '10 and underlying reinforcing portions 9, filled trays may be easily and quickly stacked in regularlyfornied tiers to a considerable heightwith minimum tendency of getting out of vertical alignment.

While the present description sets forth a preferred embodiment of the invention; various changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desired that the v present embodiment be considered in all respects as illus-v trative and not restrictive, reference being'had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the score of the invention.

I claim:

An open top, collapsible tray formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard cut and scored toprovide, in sequence, a one-piece bottom panel, a side panel hinged thereto,, top connecting strips having panels hingedly extending therefrom to form opposed end panels, and a second side panel; said blank having inwardly foldable reinforcing strips extending entirely along opposite edges bottom panel, and connecting strips; said reinforcing strips being inwardly'folded at each end of the ,tray to engage flatwise against the respective endportions of the bottom and side wall panels and to engage flatwise against the respective connectingstrips at each end of the tray;

said end panels each having a vertical dimension comparable to the height of the side walls and being swingable downward to close theends of the tray; the free edge portions ofthe infolded reinforcing strips along the ends of the bottorn panel being permanently secured at spaced points to provide unsecured edge portions; the lower free edges of the end walls carrying thereon hinged tongue elements which'are insertable between such respective unsecured edge portions and the adjacent portions of the bottom panel to secure theend walls frictiona lly in end-closing position. 3

References Qited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS. t g

Nuckols on. 4, 1932 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.

hinged to the sidewall panels, 

